Is it a sin to modify an antique cast iron griddle?

[mkirsch]

I was given this old cast iron griddle a few years back. It has these little handles on the ends that make it that much too long to fit on my grill. Without them it would be a perfect fit.

10 seconds with an angle grinder would make it useful, but I hesitate because its an old piece of cast iron. I doubt its valuable. Nobody would miss it. Yet, I still hesitate...

So will I rot in hell for cutting the handles off this thing? I'd probably use it weekly if not daily. Right now it just sits against the wall behind my stove at home.

[SpeakEasy]

A couple years ago my wife bought me a dutch oven at a garage sale. She paid $15 for it. (I have a dutch-oven-cooking hobby.) What she got me was a Griswold that was about 100 years old. I never used it, but I cleaned it up a bit.

I was curious about whether it had antique value, so I did a little research. Turns out it was a rare item, and it appeared to have a value between $200 and $300. (I found this out by examining "completed" sales on e-bay for this exact item.)

Since I wasn't interested in using it (because it didn't fill a gap in my collection) I experimented with listing it on Craigslist. After a couple of false starts with potential buyers who weren't all that serious, I sold it for $200 to a collector.

Moral of the story - if it has antique value, why not find that out and sell it to someone who will appreciate it? My guess is that it doesn't have antique value, based on what you've said about it. Without a known name it is unlikely to have value.

Oh - and I split the "profit" on that Griswold with Mrs. S.

-Speak

[time2roll]

No sin unless it has historical significance. Did Abraham Lincoln personally use this pan? I don't think so.

[Naio]

I understand the feeling of responsibility to preserve something. One question in my mind would be, can you make it beautiful, if you change it?

[noteven]

Only if you mention it to someone...

[32vld]

i feel we are keepers of history when we get an antique.

so i am in the camp of preservation. somethings are too far
gone to bring back. it makes me sad to see an old car that is
complete and original get cut up and modified. though some
cars are too far gone to bring back to their previous glory.
so let your custom spirit go.

now a practical question. so how does the handles overhanging
prevent you from using it?

[BarabooBob]

I have a lot of rally good Griswald and Wagner frying pans, dutch ovens and griddles. To me, they were made to be used. Make it useful to you. Are you more interested in antique value or usefulness?

[Diamond_c]

I’m really into cast iron and antiques, but I say it’s yours you bought it do what you want with it and don’t feel bad about it.

[wopachop]

No pic?

[Vintage465]

I think it's entirely up to you. If you have any concerns, why not just get a new one for thirty bucks or so. Since you mentioned the angle grinder I will share my experience. I picked up a reversible(grill on one side, griddle on the other) cast iron griddle from the "Pioneer Woman" collection. It fits across the back two burners perfectly with the handles...and recalling, it wasn't too expensive. Bad news is that no amount of seasoning or use allowed anything like a non stick and I mean I would massacre a fried egg bad! Now the angle grinder angle(?!!)...I took my 4-1/2" peanut grinder, put a flap wheel on it and took the surface down to smooth, re-seasoned it and it works amazing now. Of course when I search the net for the one I have now, I can't find it! What are the dimensions of your? Pic maybe?

[propchef]

It' likely antique. Does it look anything like this?



If it's an old Griswold it's worth about $150 if in good shape.

[mkirsch]

It just has an "11" stamped in the underside.

[BurbMan]

Better to use it! If you don't want to mod it donate it to your local thrift shop so somebody else can enjoy it for $1!

[propchef]

Does it have a name on it? There *are* some valuable pieces out there. Griswold is sought after in some areas, Wagner is another. Usually, it isn't the flat plancha types, but the old muffin pans (they make 11, not 12).

I say DO IT. Otherwise, why have it if you're not going to use it? Enjoy it. Cast iron is great.

[navigator2346]

Cut the handles to suit you and use it as you wish